Editing Waylon Jennings (section)

=== Beginnings in music ===
When Jennings was 8, his mother taught him to play guitar with the tune "Thirty Pieces of Silver". Jennings used to practice with his relatives' instruments until his mother bought him a used [[Stella (guitar)|Stella]] guitar, and later ordered a [[Harmony Company models#Patrician|Harmony Patrician]].{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=22}} Early influences included [[Bob Wills]], [[Floyd Tillman]], [[Ernest Tubb]], [[Hank Williams]], [[Carl Smith (country musician)|Carl Smith]], [[Dean Martin]], and [[Elvis Presley]].<ref name="Rolling Stone">{{cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/waylon-jennings-dead-at-sixty-four-20020214|title=Waylon Jennings Dead at Sixty-four|author=Dansby, Andrew|date=February 14, 2002|access-date=November 1, 2011|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref>{{sfn|Wishart|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=rtRFyFO4hpEC&dq=waylon%20jennings%20drop%20out%20high%20school&pg=PA540 540]}}{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=271}}{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=34}}

Beginning with performing at family gatherings, Jennings played his first public concert at the Youth Center with Anthony Bonanno, followed by appearances at the local [[United States Junior Chamber|Jaycees]] and [[Lions Clubs International|Lions Clubs]]. He won a talent show at [[KLBK-TV|Channel 13]], in Lubbock, singing "[[Hey Joe (Carl Smith song)|Hey Joe]]". He later made frequent performances at the Palace Theater in Littlefield, during local talent night.{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=36}}

At age 14, Jennings auditioned for a spot on KVOW in Littlefield, Texas. Owner J. B. McShan, along with Emil Macha, recorded Jennings's performance. McShan liked his style and hired him for a weekly 30-minute program. Following his performance on the show, Jennings formed his own band. He asked Macha to play bass for him and gathered other friends and acquaintances to form the Texas Longhorns. The style of the band—a mixture of [[country and western]] and [[bluegrass music]]—was often not well received.{{sfn|Carr|Munde|1997|p=154}}

[[File:Waylon Jennings KLLL.jpg|thumb|200px|Jennings during a broadcast of his show on KLLL in 1958]]
After several disciplinary infractions, 16-year-old Jennings was convinced to drop out of Littlefield High School by the superintendent.{{sfn|Burton, Alan|2002|p=79}} Upon leaving school, he worked for his father in the family store and also took temporary jobs. Jennings felt that music would turn into his career.{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|pp=31–33}} The next year he, along with the Texas Longhorns, recorded demo versions of the songs "Stranger in My Home" and "There'll Be a New Day" at [[KFYO (AM)|KFYO]] radio in Lubbock.{{sfn|Carr|Munde|1997|p=154}} Meanwhile, he drove a truck for the Thomas Land Lumber Company, and a [[cement truck]] for the Roberts Lumber Company. Tired of the owner, Jennings quit after a minor driving accident.{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=39}} Jennings, and other local musicians, often performed at country radio station [[KBZO (AM)|KDAV]].  During this time he met [[Buddy Holly]] at a Lubbock restaurant.{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=48}} The two often met during local shows, and Jennings began to attend Holly's performances on KDAV's ''Sunday Party''.{{sfn|Amburn|p=15|2014}}

In addition to performing on air for KVOW, Jennings started to work as a DJ in 1956{{sfn|Carr|Munde|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=6Q2QhJf4jR0C&dq=Waylon+Jennings+KLLL&pg=PT166 155]}} and moved to Lubbock.{{sfn|Carr|Munde|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=6Q2QhJf4jR0C&dq=Waylon+Jennings+KLLL&pg=PT166 155]}} His program ran from 4:00 in the afternoon to 10:00 in the evening, filled with two hours of country classics, two of current country, and two of mixed recordings.{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=40}} The latter included early rock-and-roll stars such as [[Chuck Berry]] and [[Little Richard]]. The owner reprimanded Jennings for his selection, and after playing two Little Richard records in a row Jennings was fired.{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=47}}

During his time at KVOW Jennings was visited by DJ Sky Corbin of [[KLVT]] in Levelland. Corbin was impressed with his voice, and decided to visit Jennings at the station after hearing him sing a jingle to the tune of Hank Snow's "[[I'm Moving On (Hank Snow song)|I'm Moving On]]". Jennings expressed his struggle to live on a $50-a-week salary. Corbin invited Jennings to visit KLVT, where he eventually took Corbin's position when it opened.<ref>{{cite news|author=Corbin, Sky|url=http://www.klll.com/The-Waylon-Jennings-Years-at-KLLL-Part-One-/18144181?pid=393697|title=The Waylon Jennings Years at KLLL (Part One)|work=KLLL|publisher=KLLL Lubbock|access-date=July 2, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714171821/http://www.klll.com/The-Waylon-Jennings-Years-at-KLLL-Part-One-/18144181?pid=393697|archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> The Corbin family later purchased [[KLLL]], in Lubbock. They changed the format of the station to country, becoming the main competition of KDAV. The Corbins hired Jennings as the station's first DJ.{{sfn|Jennings|Kaye|1996|p=51}}

{{listen|filename=Jole Blon Waylon Jennings.ogg|title=Jole Blon|description=During his first recording session in September 1958, Jennings was accompanied by Buddy Holly on the guitar and King Curtis on the saxophone}}
Jennings produced commercials and created jingles with the rest of the DJs. As their popularity increased, the DJs made public appearances. Jennings's events included live performances. During one performance, Holly's father, L. O. Holley, approached them with his son's latest record and asked them to play it at the station. Holley mentioned his son's intention to start producing artists himself, and Corbin recommended Jennings. After returning from his tour of England Buddy Holly visited KLLL.<ref>{{cite news|author=Corbin, Sky|url=http://www.klll.com/The-Waylon-Jennings-Years-at-KLLL-Part-Two-The-int/18144181?pid=393913|title=The Waylon Jennings Years at KLLL (Part Two)|work=KLLL|publisher=KLLL Lubbock|access-date=July 2, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714165213/http://www.klll.com/The-Waylon-Jennings-Years-at-KLLL-Part-Two-The-int/18144181?pid=393913|archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref>

Holly took Jennings as his first artist. He outfitted him with new clothes, and worked with him to improve his image.<ref>{{cite news|author=Corbin, Sky|url=http://www.klll.com/The-Waylon-Jennings-Years-at-KLLL-Part-Four-/18144181?pid=394643|title=The Waylon Jennings Years at KLLL (Part Four)|work=KLLL|publisher=KLLL Lubbock|access-date=July 2, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714175405/http://www.klll.com/The-Waylon-Jennings-Years-at-KLLL-Part-Four-/18144181?pid=394643|archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> He arranged a session for Jennings at [[Norman Petty]]'s recording studios in [[Clovis, New Mexico]]. On September 10, Jennings recorded the songs "[[Jole Blon]]" and "When Sin Stops (Love Begins)" with Holly and [[Tommy Allsup]] on guitars and saxophonist [[King Curtis]]. Holly then hired Jennings to play bass for him during his "Winter Dance Party Tour".{{sfn|Carr|Munde|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=6Q2QhJf4jR0C&dq=Waylon+Jennings+KLLL&pg=PT166 155]}}